Aamir Yameen tilted the game in Kings’ favour in the second over of the innings with a splendid in-swinging ball bowling out opener Kamran Akmal. Later, Sikandar Raza with two wickets in a maiden over left Zalmi baffled.

Imad Wasim picked Pollard’s wicket on duck.

The game was all going in Imad Wasim’s favour until a marvellous knock of 56 off 43 from Imam, with five boundaries and a six, gradually shifted the momentum.

And later the blistering cameo of Darren Sammy with 24 runs off 10 balls prompted concerns from the Kings’ side.

Kings started their PSL campaign on a high when they defeated Multan Sultans in a close contest by seven runs. However, they lost the next game to Lahore Qalandars by 22 runs, and after the latest defeat are placed fifth on the points table.

]]>http://theasianpost.co.uk/psl-peshawar-zalmi-defeat-karachi-kings-by-44-runs/feed/0ICC launches #Worldwidewickets to celebrate cricket around the worldhttp://theasianpost.co.uk/icc-launches-worldwidewickets-to-celebrate-cricket-around-the-world/
http://theasianpost.co.uk/icc-launches-worldwidewickets-to-celebrate-cricket-around-the-world/#respondFri, 22 Feb 2019 06:39:10 +0000http://theasianpost.co.uk/?p=45208LONDON: Fans around the globe are to be given a chance to experience the excitement of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 through the ICC’s brand new #WorldwideWickets campaign that will celebrate the different ways we all play cricket. According to ICC press release, launched on Thursday, the user-generated social media initiative will encourage ...

LONDON: Fans around the globe are to be given a chance to experience the excitement of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 through the ICC’s brand new #WorldwideWickets campaign that will celebrate the different ways we all play cricket. According to ICC press release, launched on Thursday, the user-generated social media initiative will encourage fans to share pictures and videos of where and how they play cricket across the world. The winning post will be voted for by fans and the prize is an ultimate ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 Final experience, including tickets and travel for two people to Lord’s on 14 July.

The second element of the Wickets campaign will see activity hit the streets of England and Wales in the build-up to this summer’s tournament, with each of the ten Host Cities installing a bespoke mural featuring a set of cricket wickets in an iconic location. Again, fans will be at the centre of the action and will be encouraged to share the mural on social media for the chance to win tickets to an ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 fixture in their city.

Each of the murals will show what makes their respective cities unique and will coincide with the arrival of the ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour, driven by Nissan. The mural launch in Southampton on 25 February gives local fans the first chance to win the ‘money-can’t-buy’ prizes. More than three million fans across 148 different countries have applied for tickets to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, highlighting the global appeal of the tournament.

Now, #WorldwideWickets will allow even more fans from across the world to engage with the tournament and showcase the unique and brilliant ways cricket is played – from Melbourne to Manchester and Kabul to Kandy. The campaign will run from 21 February until the final stages of the tournament in July 2019.

]]>http://theasianpost.co.uk/icc-launches-worldwidewickets-to-celebrate-cricket-around-the-world/feed/0Jason Roy, Root score centuries in record England winhttp://theasianpost.co.uk/jason-roy-root-score-centuries-in-record-england-win/
http://theasianpost.co.uk/jason-roy-root-score-centuries-in-record-england-win/#respondThu, 21 Feb 2019 18:18:05 +0000http://theasianpost.co.uk/?p=45199BARBADOS: Jason Roy and Joe Root scored centuries as England clinched a record-breaking victory over West Indies in a display of pure power hitting and shot making by both sides in their opening one-day international in Barbados on Wednesday. Roy made 123 and Root 102 as the visitors scored 364 for four to win by ...

BARBADOS: Jason Roy and Joe Root scored centuries as England clinched a record-breaking victory over West Indies in a display of pure power hitting and shot making by both sides in their opening one-day international in Barbados on Wednesday.

Roy made 123 and Root 102 as the visitors scored 364 for four to win by six wickets with eight balls to spare and take a 1-0 lead in the five-game series in front of a near-capacity crowd at Kensington Oval.

England’s highest successful run chase in one-dayers was aided by some sloppy West Indies fielding and several dropped catches.

Chris Gayle had belted 12 sixes in his 135 to help West Indies to a daunting total of 360 for eight, their highest one-day international score against England.

The umpires had to replace the ball more than half a dozen times after several of Gayle’s towering sixes landed outside the stadium, including one that measured at 121 metres.

West Indies smashed a word record 23 sixes in total. New Zealand held the previous record of 22 sixes, against West Indies in 2014.

Gayle was dropped on nine by Roy, who said the missed chance had been at the “back of his mind” when he took the crease.

“You want to step up a bit and do something good for the team,” said Roy, who more than made amends by compiling his score in only 85 balls in a match-winning knock.

“It was a nice (batting) surface. We were chasing a big total, so it was quite daunting at the start.”

Roy laid a foundation for Root to all but take England across the line with a stylish innings based on strokemaking and astute placement of the ball.

Root was denied hitting the winning run when he was caught on the boundary with the scores tied and left to a standing ovation.

Captain Eoin Morgan chimed in with 65.

“We went about the chase well, with a short side (boundary) and a howling wind,” said Morgan, who felt the conditions and placid nature of the pitch had made the chase slightly easier than the target score.

West Indies captain Jason Holder lamented his team’s fielding.

“We didn’t bowl as well as we would have liked and didn’t help ourselves in the field,” he said.

“Our energy and body language in the field wasn’t up to scratch today. We’ve got to pull up our socks.”

]]>http://theasianpost.co.uk/jason-roy-root-score-centuries-in-record-england-win/feed/0Chetan Chauhan: India may face consequences if withdraws from ICC World Cuphttp://theasianpost.co.uk/chetan-chauhan-india-may-face-consequences-if-withdraws-from-icc-world-cup/
http://theasianpost.co.uk/chetan-chauhan-india-may-face-consequences-if-withdraws-from-icc-world-cup/#respondThu, 21 Feb 2019 12:20:09 +0000http://theasianpost.co.uk/?p=45163LUCKNOW: Pulling out of the World Cup so that India does not play against Pakistan, is not that easy as every tournament has its own rules, said former Indian cricketer and Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Chetan Chauhan. “Government should advice the BCCI as every tournament has its own rules. Since a lot of countries would ...

LUCKNOW: Pulling out of the World Cup so that India does not play against Pakistan, is not that easy as every tournament has its own rules, said former Indian cricketer and Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Chetan Chauhan.

“Government should advice the BCCI as every tournament has its own rules. Since a lot of countries would be participating (ICC members), we might have to face consequences, bear the losses or face two or three year ban if India withdraws or does not play against Pakistan,” Chauhan told ANI.

(Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)

World Cup is scheduled to begin May 30 in England. Chauhan is, however, adamant that India should launch protest one way or another but work according to what government decides.

“Had it been in Pakistan, I would have readily said not to play or had it been in India, I would have said do not call Pakistan in the wake of attack on our soldiers. But the tournament will be hosted in England and World Cup is something which is decided eight or ten years in advance,” he said.

]]>http://theasianpost.co.uk/chetan-chauhan-india-may-face-consequences-if-withdraws-from-icc-world-cup/feed/0Irfan Ansari banned from all cricket for 10 yearshttp://theasianpost.co.uk/irfan-ansari-banned-from-all-cricket-for-10-years/
http://theasianpost.co.uk/irfan-ansari-banned-from-all-cricket-for-10-years/#respondThu, 21 Feb 2019 06:38:51 +0000http://theasianpost.co.uk/?p=45137DUBAI: Irfan Ansari has been banned from all cricket for 10 years after the ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal found him guilty of breaching three counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. During the hearing, the tribunal heard evidence that Ansari approached Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed during the Pakistan series with Sri Lanka in the UAE in October ...

DUBAI: Irfan Ansari has been banned from all cricket for 10 years after the ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal found him guilty of breaching three counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

During the hearing, the tribunal heard evidence that Ansari approached Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed during the Pakistan series with Sri Lanka in the UAE in October 2017 with a view to engaging him in corrupt conduct by soliciting information from him. Sarfraz reported the approach immediately and an ICC ACU investigation ensued which resulted in these charges and decision.

Ansari is bound by the code as a result of his affiliation to the Pakistan cricket team and also as a result of being a coach to two teams that participate in domestic matches in the UAE. He was found guilty of the following three offences under the Code:

Article 2.4.6 – failure or refusal to cooperate with the ACU’s investigation by failing to provide accurately and completely the information and / or documentation requested by the ACU in October 2017. This included a request by the ICC ACU to take possession of and/or copy or download information from his mobile devices.

Article 2.4.6 – failure or refusal to cooperate with the ACU’s investigation by failing to provide accurately and completely the information and / or documentation requested by the ACU in February 2018. Again this included a request by the ICC ACU to take possession of and/or copy or download information from his mobile devices.

Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – ACU said: “I’d like to place on record my thanks to Sarfaraz Ahmed who showed true leadership and professionalism from the moment he reported this approach.

He recognised it for what it was, rejected it and reported it. He then supported our investigation and subsequent tribunal.

“This is the first time we have prosecuted for failure to cooperate with an investigation since the new rules enabling us to demand the participants hand over their phone for examination and the sanction reflects the seriousness of the offence. It is an important tool to aid our investigations and continue in our efforts to rid the sport of these corrupters.

]]>http://theasianpost.co.uk/irfan-ansari-banned-from-all-cricket-for-10-years/feed/0Alastair Cook confident England can end World Cup droughthttp://theasianpost.co.uk/alastair-cook-confident-england-can-end-world-cup-drought/
http://theasianpost.co.uk/alastair-cook-confident-england-can-end-world-cup-drought/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 17:23:42 +0000http://theasianpost.co.uk/?p=45078LONDON: Alastair Cook believes England can end decades of World Cup disappointment with a triumph on home soil this year. England have never won the men’s World Cup, but with 100 days to go until the start of the latest edition, a team captained by Eoin Morgan are top of the 50-over world rankings. Former ...

LONDON: Alastair Cook believes England can end decades of World Cup disappointment with a triumph on home soil this year.

England have never won the men’s World Cup, but with 100 days to go until the start of the latest edition, a team captained by Eoin Morgan are top of the 50-over world rankings.

Former England skipper Cook, who retired from international cricket last year as the country’s highest Test run-scorer and most-capped player, said there were several reasons why Morgan’s men could go one better than the England teams that lost in the 1979, 1987 and 1992 finals.

“They’re a very settled side, they’ve got 15 players pretty much nailed on for that squad,” Cook told AFP at a World Cup event in London’s Trafalgar Square on Tuesday.

“Everyone knows their role, they’re very comfortable in their role, they’ve got a lot of strength in depth, they seem to have a lot of options covered and they’re an exciting team to watch.

“They are a brilliant one-day side.”

Cook never played in a World Cup, with the left-handed opening batsman dramatically dropped from the squad that then failed to beat a fellow Test nation while suffering a group-stage exit at the 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand.

But Cook said a change of attitude lay behind England’s rise up the one-day rankings since that dismal display.

“Probably over the years we’ve really concentrated on Test cricket as a nation. Over the last three or four years we’ve really given the one-day cricket its due,” he said.

– ‘Sky’s the limit’ –

It was a point emphasised by former England spinner Graeme Swann, who said: “I just think England are picking the right team these days.

“They’re picking one-day specialists and the sky’s the limit.

“When they bat, people like Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, they think that (scoring) 400 is feasible rather than an impossible dream. I think England have finally picked a very aggressive team as well, with Eoin Morgan, who’s a brilliant captain.

“They’ve got a team that is putting them in firm contention to win this World Cup,” insisted Swann, who added “I never thought we (England) would win it deep down when I was there.”

Swann was a member of the only England men’s side to have won a major global trophy – the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean – and sees parallels between that team and Morgan’s men.

“The only world trophy I thought we had a genuine chance of winning was the World Twenty20 in the West Indies that we did, because we were ahead of the curve there.”

– ‘Never write off India’ –

But Swann warned that England would face several tough opponents in their quest for World Cup glory.

“You can never write off India, they are an exceptional one-day team, Virat Kohli is a brilliant captain, brilliant player.”

As for champions Australia, England’s oldest rivals and five-times World Cup-winners, Swann said: “The Aussies are like Germany in the football — you can never write them off at a World Cup.”

Swann though said he was particularly looking forward to watching Pakistan, who won the 2017 Champions Trophy one-day tournament in Britain.

“They are so mercurial, you never know what you are going to get. When they are on fire, they are absolutely explosive and when they’re not, they’re awful.”

]]>http://theasianpost.co.uk/alastair-cook-confident-england-can-end-world-cup-drought/feed/0PSL: Salman Butt replaces Hafeez in Lahore Qalandars squadhttp://theasianpost.co.uk/psl-salman-butt-replaces-hafeez-in-lahore-qalandars-squad/
http://theasianpost.co.uk/psl-salman-butt-replaces-hafeez-in-lahore-qalandars-squad/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 12:12:27 +0000http://theasianpost.co.uk/?p=45100LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars have roped in Salman Butt to replace the injured Mohammad Hafeez for the remainder of the PSL 2019 season. This is the most high-profile event Butt will be part of after his return in 2016 from his five-year suspension for his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal of 2010. He will play under ...

LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars have roped in Salman Butt to replace the injured Mohammad Hafeez for the remainder of the PSL 2019 season.

This is the most high-profile event Butt will be part of after his return in 2016 from his five-year suspension for his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal of 2010. He will play under the leadership of AB de Villiers, who was handed the captaincy by Qalandars after Hafeez fractured his thumb.

Hafeez’s absence will be a major setback for the Qalandars, who had picked up the allrounder in the Platinum category and had named him captain in a bid to rectify their poor PSL record: the team has finished bottom of the table in every season so far.

Hafeez injured his thumb while attempting a return catch against Karachi Kings on Saturday. He will undergo surgery later this week and is expected to be out of the game for at least one month.

With Hafeez out, the Qalandars were looking for someone to provide stability and experience as an anchor at No.3, a role that Butt appears suited for. Before he was banned, Butt’s T20 strike rate was 107.98, considered adequate in the 2007-2010 period. His overall domestic T20 strike rate is 113.55, and he has scored 2278 runs at an average of 36.15. Butt’s consistency is also highlighted by his runs-per-innings figure of 30.4, second only to Babar Azam among Pakistani batsmen who have at least 2000 T20 runs.

Butt’s T20 numbers have looked better since his return from the ban. He averages 55.35 since 2016 – the highest for any Pakistan player with a minimum of 500 runs. Azam is the next best, at 39.89, in that same period. Butt has made 941 runs in 24 T20 innings with nine half-centuries since his return to senior competitive cricket.

]]>http://theasianpost.co.uk/psl-salman-butt-replaces-hafeez-in-lahore-qalandars-squad/feed/0PCB appoints new live production partner for PSL 4http://theasianpost.co.uk/pcb-appoints-new-live-production-partner-for-psl-4/
http://theasianpost.co.uk/pcb-appoints-new-live-production-partner-for-psl-4/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 11:36:15 +0000http://theasianpost.co.uk/?p=45080LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday announced the consortium of Blitz and Trans Group as the new live production partner for the HBL Pakistan Super League 2019 (PSL). Blitz are the PCB’s broadcast partners in Pakistan, while Trans Group are the event management partners. Blitz and Trans Group will start their coverage when the ...

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday announced the consortium of Blitz and Trans Group as the new live production partner for the HBL Pakistan Super League 2019 (PSL).

Blitz are the PCB’s broadcast partners in Pakistan, while Trans Group are the event management partners.

Blitz and Trans Group will start their coverage when the matches resume on Wednesday, 20 February, and will continue to provide the same high quality coverage which the followers experienced in the earlier games of the event, which kicked off on 14 February.

]]>http://theasianpost.co.uk/pcb-appoints-new-live-production-partner-for-psl-4/feed/0Boult, Mahmudullah fined for misconduct during second ODIhttp://theasianpost.co.uk/boult-mahmudullah-fined-for-misconduct-during-second-odi/
http://theasianpost.co.uk/boult-mahmudullah-fined-for-misconduct-during-second-odi/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 06:01:57 +0000http://theasianpost.co.uk/?p=45056CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand quick Trent Boult and Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad were fined for breaching ICC’s code of conduct during the second one-day international in Christchurch on Saturday. Boult was fined 15 percent of his match fee for an “audible obscenity” while Mahmudullah was fined 10 percent for “abuse” of equipment for striking the fence with ...

CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand quick Trent Boult and Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad were fined for breaching ICC’s code of conduct during the second one-day international in Christchurch on Saturday.

Boult was fined 15 percent of his match fee for an “audible obscenity” while Mahmudullah was fined 10 percent for “abuse” of equipment for striking the fence with his bat while leaving the field after his dismissal, the International Cricket Council said Sunday.

Both players pleaded guilty to their offences had one demerit point added to their disciplinary records.

New Zealand won the match by eight wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with the third and final match set to be played in Dunedin on Wednesday.

]]>http://theasianpost.co.uk/boult-mahmudullah-fined-for-misconduct-during-second-odi/feed/0De Villiers’s decision to play PSL will help revive cricket in Pakistan: Graeme Smithhttp://theasianpost.co.uk/ab-de-villierss-decision-to-play-psl-2019-will-help-revive-cricket-in-pakistan-graeme-smith/
http://theasianpost.co.uk/ab-de-villierss-decision-to-play-psl-2019-will-help-revive-cricket-in-pakistan-graeme-smith/#respondTue, 19 Feb 2019 18:08:37 +0000http://theasianpost.co.uk/?p=44957DUBAI: Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith believes his former team-mate AB de Villiers’s decision to participate in the PSL 2019, including featuring in matches in Lahore, will set standards in bringing more big names to the league, which, in turn, will make the cricket-starved country a formidable unit. Smith, 38, is in the United ...

DUBAI: Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith believes his former team-mate AB de Villiers’s decision to participate in the PSL 2019, including featuring in matches in Lahore, will set standards in bringing more big names to the league, which, in turn, will make the cricket-starved country a formidable unit.

Smith, 38, is in the United Arab Emirates as a commentator for the HBL PSL and has been impressed in the opening week of the league and the talent it has been producing over four years.

“I think the more competitive teams in the world cricket is the better and to have a better and stronger Pakistan team and the fan base there is crucial for the future of the game,” Smith told the HBL PSL 2019 website.

“It’s fantastic that AB has been able to put his weight behind Pakistan cricket,” said Smith of his colleague who joined Lahore Qalandars for his first stint at the PSL.

De Villiers has promised to play two matches in Lahore scheduled for 9 and 10 March, and vowed to play his part in bringing international cricket back to Pakistan.

Smith mentioned five South Africa players becoming part of the ICC World XI, which played three Twenty20 Internationals in Lahore in September 2017.

“A few South Africa guys went to Pakistan with the ICC World XI in 2017 and having a big name like AB going to Pakistan, it will be amazing. Hopefully, it goes well and then it can set the standards in bringing more big names and more international cricket back to Pakistan.”

Smith played 117 Tests, 197 ODIs and 33 Twenty20 internationals in a glittering career. His 109 Tests as captain is a record.

Smith was pleased with the talent available at the PSL.

“I have been here for few days and its been interesting to watch. Obviously, there is fair amount of talented players,” said Smith. “There are some skillful bowlers as Pakistan have always produced. It’s been great and we obviously getting to the teeth of the tournament.”

Smith observed that Pakistan’s young talent has been resilience and the character to fight.

“For me having watched Pakistan playing in South Africa for the last two months, its real excitement around some of the talent that you have, particularly Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, who stood out,” said Smith of Babar who is world’s top-ranked T20 batsman.

Shaheen emerged on the scenes in 2017 with an eight-wicket haul in an innings on his first-class debut. The lanky paceman then became man of the series in his first ODI series against New Zealand, also played in UAE.

Since then, the 18-year-old is playing all three formats for Pakistan.

“For me the thing that stood out on the South Africa tour, although Pakistan were beaten comprehensively in the Test series, was that they kept coming back, have seen so much character than I have not seen for a long time.

“These Pakistan players are playing with good intensity, they wanted to win and that was good to see. I have seen and noticed that same attitude in the PSL.”

Reverting to the four days in PSL, Smith said the matches were exciting and competitive.

“Look, there have been tough competition in this PSL. These players will learn from AB, who has been able to capture the imagination of cricket fans all around the world with the way he plays his cricket.

“It’s fantastic to have someone like him. It’s good that there are players who bring a good name to this event and creates credibility for the competition and the next things is that AB scores big somewhere in the competition. But his presence will help youngsters learn a lot of things, from playing to work ethics.”

Smith said he wishes success for the PSL and hopes some more players come out of the league in the next couple of years.